5 Burning Questions Regarding Arsenal’s Squad

For the first time in a long time, Arsenal has had a productive summer transfer window and fans are ecstatic about what the team can achieve this year. Wenger has brought in Chilean superstar Alexis Sanchez, former Newcastle United right back Mathieu Debuchy and 19 year old Calum Chambers from Southampton. As we saw on Sunday, they’ve all settled in very well as fans witnessed during the Community Shield game.

But are they enough to help Arsenal make a real run at the title and other trophies this season? Despite the positive moves Arsenal has made in transfer market to bolster up the side that won the FA Cup last year, there are still some questions and concerns regarding the squad and how well they can do this season.

1. Is Jack Wilshere The Answer to Defensive Midfield Worries?

One of the main problems Arsenal suffered from last season was being overrun in the middle of the park by players who were much more powerful than them. Players such as Ramires, Javi Garcia and Steven Gerrard were able to push around and bully the likes of Mikel Arteta and Jack Wilshere, helping contribute to the onslaught Arsenal suffered against the other big name teams.

As soon as the season ended, the first thing many Arsenal fans begged for was a powerful anchor man who could break up the play and put a little steel into the midfield, allowing Arsenal’s many creative midfield players to play with more freedom.

So far Arsenal have been rumored to be in for every quality defensive midfielder you can think of. Sami Khedira, William Carvalho, Lars Bender and Morgan Schneiderlin have all been linked with the Gunners this summer, yet it seems as if Wenger has made the interesting decision to try and convert Jack Wilshere into a defensive midfield player. That’s right, Jack Wilshere.

Wilshere is certainly a talented footballer who has had a bad rap due to his antics off the field and the slow progress he’s made in terms of fulfilling the potential many saw in him as a teenager. However, I’ve always seen him as a box-to-box midfielder, never as a defensive anchorman.

There are a number of reasons why I don’t think he fits the role. Much like Paul Scholes – the man who chastised him last season – Wilshere has never had the best timing when it comes to tackling, his temperament during big games has always been questionable, and he’s also not the most physically imposing players on the pitch and is regularly shoved off the ball. It’s not the type of thing you want from a player who you want to protect your back four. I think my main problem with Wilshere being considered to be the answer to Arsenal’s defensive midfield ways is that he lacks the discipline for the role.

For me, the big question is the defensive midfield limitations. Arsenal is a team wherein the midfielders seem as likely to score as our strikers… I have no qualms about our ability to score. I love our back line and our creative midfield, and generally I think we look pretty good going into the season, but the defensive midfield whole leaves me a bit anxious.

I appreciate the author’s point about fitness and injury… you have to wonder what could have been last year.

Still need that solid DM and a striker. I suppose I would consider Tiote if I couldn’t get my main targets for that position. He would do the job.
If AW is looking for a bargain may be he should go for Remy after all. He signed kallstrom last time so Remy is a calculated risk.